Latino of the Year: Oswaldo Minda

Between Chivas USA and helping the Ecuadorian National Team in World Cup Qualifiers, midfielder Oswaldo Minda’s 2012 season has been an interesting one, especially in his first year in MLS.

Back in Ecuador, Minda had taken a total of three national championships in the past four years in the country’s Serie A- the top league in the nation. Upon his arrival to Chivas USA in the preseason, Minda’s goals were to go for gold; after all, he was used to winning.

“In South America, we play good soccer, but this league is very competitive, and I dare say, better than some leagues in the southern continent” Minda said in an interview mid-season. “This is mostly because of its infrastructure, the players, the stadiums and the fans.”

In his first season in the league, Minda played a total of 22 games (20 starts), missing a few games due to international duty and yellow card accumulation. After an awkward fall during training in mid-season, Minda suffered a shoulder dislocation, causing him to miss four consecutive games.

In the Red-and-White’s third road game of the season, Minda headed home his first goal in MLS and the game-winner for Chivas USA over Toronto FC. With the win, the Goats enforced themselves as “road warriors” as the team went on to earn a 3-1-3 record for the first half of the season. His goal also earned him the honor to be named Latino of Week 6.